Esophagitis is a major cause of upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage in the elderly

The risk of death in patients presenting with upper gastrointestinal (UGI) hemorrhage increases with age. Our aims were to define the background characteristics, causes, course, and outcome in patients aged > or = 80 years admitted to hospital because of acute UGI bleeding (n = 115) in relation to patients aged 60-69 years admitted for the same reason (n = 133).

A prospective, longitudinal study with a nested case-control analysis was carried out.

In the elderly patients there was a female preponderance and a significantly higher prevalence of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. By contrast, use of tobacco and alcohol, diabetes mellitus, and chronic liver disease were significantly commoner in the controls. The use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), aspirin, anticoagulants, and corticosteroids was similar in the two groups. Esophagitis was the cause of bleeding in 21.1% of the elderly, as compared with 3.3% in the controls. The relative risk of developing esophagitis in the elderly was increased and was independent of gender, smoking, alcohol consumption, use of NSAIDs, aspirin, or corticosteroids, diabetes mellitus, atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and liver disease. (Adjusted odds ratio, 18.1; P = 0.0002). The rates of persistent or recurrent bleeding and emergency surgery to control bleeding were similar. However, the mortality in the elderly was higher (13 versus 6.1%; P = 0.09).

Age > or = 80 years is an independent determinant of esophagitis, a major cause of UGI bleeding in the elderly.